If someone wishes to re-raise, they must raise at least the amount of the previous raise. If a raise or re-raise is all-in and does not equal the size of the previous raise or half the size in some casinos , the initial raiser cannot re-raise again in case there are other players also still in the game.

In pot-limit hold 'em, the maximum raise is the current size of the pot including the amount needed to call. Some casinos that offer hold 'em also allow the player to the left of the big blind to post an optional live straddle , usually double the amount of the big blind.

This causes that player to act as the big blind and the player has an option to raise when it comes to their turn again. Some variations allow for straddle on the button.

No-limit games may also allow multiple re-straddles, in any amount that would be a legal raise. Following a shuffle of the cards, play begins with each player being dealt two cards face down, with the player in the small blind receiving the first card and the player in the button seat receiving the last card dealt.

As in most poker games, the deck is a standard card deck containing no jokers. These cards are the players' hole or pocket cards.

These are the only cards each player will receive individually, and they will possibly be revealed only at the showdown , making Texas hold 'em a closed poker game.

The hand begins with a "pre-flop" betting round, beginning with the player to the left of the big blind or the player to the left of the dealer, if no blinds are used and continuing clockwise.

A round of betting continues until every player has folded, put in all of their chips, or matched the amount put in by all other active players.

See betting for a detailed account. Note that the blinds are considered "live" in the pre-flop betting round, meaning that they are counted toward the amount that the blind player must contribute.

If all players call around to the player in the big blind position, that player may either check or raise. After the pre-flop betting round, assuming there remain at least two players taking part in the hand, the dealer deals a flop: The flop is followed by a second betting round.

This and all subsequent betting rounds begin with the player to the dealer's left and continue clockwise.

After the flop betting round ends, a single community card called the turn or fourth street is dealt, followed by a third betting round.

A final single community card called the river or fifth street is then dealt, followed by a fourth betting round and the showdown, if necessary.

In the third and fourth betting rounds, the stakes double. In all casinos, the dealer will burn a card before the flop, turn, and river. Because of this burn, players who are betting cannot see the back of the next community card to come.

This is done for traditional reasons, to avoid any possibility of a player knowing in advance the next card to be dealt due to its being marked.

If a player bets and all other players fold, then the remaining player is awarded the pot and is not required to show their hole cards.

If two or more players remain after the final betting round, a showdown occurs. On the showdown, each player plays the best poker hand they can make from the seven cards comprising their two-hole cards and the five community cards.

A player may use both of their own two hole cards, only one, or none at all, to form their final five-card hand. If the five community cards form the player's best hand, then the player is said to be playing the board and can only hope to split the pot, because each other player can also use the same five cards to construct the same hand.

If the best hand is shared by more than one player, then the pot is split equally among them, with any extra chips going to the first players after the button in clockwise order.

It is common for players to have closely valued, but not identically ranked hands. Nevertheless, one must be careful in determining the best hand; if the hand involves fewer than five cards, such as two pair or three of a kind , then kickers are used to settle ties see the second example below.

The card's numerical rank is of sole importance; suit values are irrelevant in hold 'em. If the first or second card dealt is exposed, then this is considered a misdeal.

The dealer then retrieves the card, reshuffles the deck, and again cuts the cards. However, if any other hole card is exposed due to a dealer error, the deal continues as usual.

After completing the deal, the dealer replaces the exposed card with the top card on the deck, and the exposed card is then used as the burn card.

If more than one hole card is exposed, a misdeal is declared by the dealer and the hand is dealt again from the beginning. Each player plays the best five-card hand they can make with the seven cards available.

In this case, Ted's full house is the best hand, with Carol in second, Alice in third and Bob last. Here is a sample game involving four players.

The players' individual hands will not be revealed until the showdown, to give a better sense of what happens during play:. Alice is the dealer. Alice deals two hole cards face down to each player, beginning with Bob and ending with herself.

Ted must act first, being the first player after the big blind. Carol's blind is "live" see blind , so there is the option to raise here, but Carol checks instead, ending the first betting round.

On this round, as on all subsequent rounds, the player on the dealer's left begins the betting. Alice now burns another card and deals the turn card face up.

Bob checks, Carol checks, and Alice checks; the turn has been checked around. Because of the presence of community cards in Texas hold 'em, different players' hands can often run very close in value.

As a result, it is common for kickers to be used to determine the winning hand and also for two hands or maybe more to tie. A kicker is a card which is part of the five-card poker hand, but is not used in determining a hand's rank.

The following situation illustrates the importance of breaking ties with kickers and card ranks, as well as the use of the five-card rule.

After the turn, the board and players' hole cards are as follows. Bob and Carol still each have two pair queens and eights , but both of them are now entitled to play the final ace as their fifth card, making their hands both two pair, queens and eights, with an ace kicker.

Bob's king no longer plays, because the ace on the board plays as the fifth card in both hands, and a hand is only composed of the best five cards.

They therefore tie and split the pot. However, had the last card been a jack or lower except an eight or a queen which would make a full house, or a ten which would give Carol a higher second pair , Bob's king would have stayed in the game and would have won.

Most poker authors recommend a tight- aggressive approach to playing Texas hold 'em. This strategy involves playing relatively few hands tight , but betting and raising often with those that one does play aggressive.

Almost all authors agree that where a player sits in the order of play known as position is an important element of Texas hold 'em strategy, particularly in no-limit hold'em.

As a result, players typically play fewer hands from early positions than later positions. Because of the game's level of complexity, it has received some attention from academics.

One attempt to develop a quantitative model of a Texas hold'em tournament as an isolated complex system has had some success, [43] although the full consequences for optimal strategies remain to be explored.

In addition, groups at the University of Alberta and Carnegie Mellon University worked to develop poker playing programs utilizing techniques in game theory and artificial intelligence.

Although it does not win every hand, it is unbeatable on average over a large number of hands. The program exhibits more variation in its tactics than professional players do, for instance bluffing with weak hands that professional players tend to fold.

Because only two cards are dealt to each player, it is easy to characterize all of the starting hands. Because no suit is more powerful than another , many of these can be equated for the analysis of starting-hand strategy.

Because of this equivalence, there are only effectively different hole-card combinations. Thirteen of these are pairs, from deuces twos to aces.

There are 78 ways to have two cards of different rank 12 possible hands containing one ace, 11 possible hands containing one king but no ace, 10 possible hands containing one queen but no ace or king, etc.

Both hole cards can be used in a flush if they are suited, but pairs are never suited, so there would be 13 possible pairs, 78 possible suited non-pairs, and 78 possible unsuited "off-suit" non-pairs, for a total of possible hands.

Because of the limited number of starting hands, most strategy guides include a detailed discussion of each of them.

This distinguishes hold 'em from other poker games where the number of starting card combinations forces strategy guides to group hands into broad categories.

Another result of this small number is the proliferation of colloquial names for individual hands.

Texas Hold'em is commonly played both as a "cash" or "ring" game and as a tournament game. Strategy for these different forms can vary.

Before the advent of poker tournaments , all poker games were played with real money where players bet actual currency or chips that represented currency.

Games that feature wagering actual money on individual hands are still very common and are referred to as "cash games" or "ring games".

The no-limit and fixed-limit cash-game versions of hold 'em are strategically very different. Doyle Brunson claims that "the games are so different that there are not many players who rank with the best in both types of hold 'em.

Never bet out when first to act on the river if you have a hand that could easily be either the best or worst hand. The only hard part in these spots is when your opponent comes back at you with a bet.

In these situations you have to once again consider the way the hand has been played out up to that point, as well as think about they way your opponent has been playing in other hands as well as this one.

If you think you have a decent chance of winning because your opponent is loose and bluffs frequently, then you have a good reason to call.

However if you are not confident that you are ahead, you should be looking to fold unless you are being given good enough pot odds to make the call to see if you are ahead.

It's all about practice and a good knowledge of your opponent's playing style. Don't bet on the river if you are unsure about whether or not you have the best hand.

I know I have mentioned it before, but it is something that you should always remember. You are only going to get a call from a better hand and a fold from a worse hand, so don't make that bet!

Always think about each play that led up to this point into the hand, and use it to influence the decisions that you make on the river. There is no better tell than the way an opponent has played their hand and the information they have given you by the way they have checked, bet or raised.

Always bet around the size of the pot when you want a call when you hold the best hand. Even though you may well get called less often than if you made small bets, you will be winning more in the long run.

It's all about maximizing value from your hands over the long run. Strategy Hand Guide River. River Strategy Hand Guide: How to play the river.

Position on the river. When you reach the river you will be in one of the following situations regarding the strength of your hand: You are confident you have the best hand.

You are confident you have the worst hand. You are unsure about whether you have the best hand. Playing the river in position.

If your opponent is betting into you on the river in this spot. Playing the river out of position. The rule of thumb: Namely because if one bets and the other calls, chances are one of them actually has a hand.

You need to weigh the pot odds against the chances of getting the card you need on the river. But how can you tell? Playing an online six-handed game?

Here, people are more likely to raise on the turn without having a great hand, so watch them closely just in case.

Got the card you needed? Time to go ahead and bet. Chances are your opponent will call, even if they suspect they're beaten.

In theory, you could check in the hope your opponent will raise. You now have a so-so hand — a second pair, or perhaps top pair with a marginal kicker a less-than-stellar tie-break card and your opponent puts in a bet.

The rule of thumb: Namely because if one bets and the other calls, chances are one of them actually has a hand. Hand Rankings Texas Hold'em.

Rake and Blind Structure. Basic rules of Texas Hold-em. To calculate how often you need to have the best hand when calling on the river, use this simple and quick formula:.

You would need to have the best hand versus your opponent's range more than A similar formula can be used to determine how often a bluff needs to work in order to turn a profit: In this case, you would need your opponent to fold more than Take some time to work through more examples like these with different bet sizes.

Here's a few to get you started click "show" when you're ready for each answer:. How frequently do you need to have the best hand to profitably call?

How frequently must Villain fold for your bluff to profit? Because ranges are more defined and narrower on the river than they are on the flop and turn, blocking a select few combinations of hands becomes much more significant.

For more on this topic, take a look at this piece from Ryan Fee. It provides an in-depth look at bluffing with blockers on the river.

Betting ranges on the river are usually polarized. Since equity denial is no longer relevant, medium-strength hands are bet strictly for value, with no protection benefits.

Incorporating an over-betting strategy in polarized spots is an excellent way to get maximum value with our strongest hands and to push as much fold equity as possible with our bluffs.

Check out this article for some more real-world over-betting examples. Want to turn your poker hobby into a lucrative side hustle?

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Which hands would my opponent c-bet vs check back in position? Use pot odds when calling and betting Pot odds are especially crucial on the river to guide your decision-making.